Stomach pump



Jan. 3, 1939. 'w L WILLIAMS STOMAGH PUMP Filed DSC. 17, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet l n wm Jan. 3, 1939. w. l., WILLIAMSl 2,142,624

STOMACH PUMP Filed Deo. 17, 1936 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Patented Jan. 3, 1939UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEA 11 Claims.

This invention relates to stomach pumps, and the general object of theinvention is to provide an apparatus for the evacuation of the stomachwhich is simpler and more easily handled than the usual Weigensteinapparatus. The Weigen- 'stein method and apparatus consist in the use ofa jug suspended in an inverted position, nearly filled with water, therebeing two rubber tubes leading from the stopper of the jug, one tubeleading to a secretion receiving bottle or jug while the other tube isfor the discharge of water. The flowing of the water out of the firstnamed jug causes a withdrawal of the contents of the stomach from thepatient, the secretions being discharged into the secretion receivingjug. On an average, the flow of water takes about an hour and at the endof this time, the first jug has to be replaced by another full jug, andquite a lot of attention has to be given to this device. Inasmuch asnurses in a hospital are often very busy elsewhere and oftentimes thecondition of the water in the jug is not noted, the jug may be out ofyoperation for hours before the matter is attended to.

The general object of my invention, therefore, is the provision of meanswhereby the stomach may be evacuated, which will operate over arelatively long period of time Vand which is relatively simple, which iseasily set up and which will not require the attention necessary for theWeigenstein method.

A further object is to provide a structure of this character which isportable and readily moved from place to place, and which may be readilycleaned and sterilized whenever necessary.

A still further object is the provision of a piston operating within acylinder, preferably of glass, the piston being so constructed thatwhile it may be readily removed for cleaning or repair and readilyre-inserted, it will expand tightly within the cylinder so as to securea close and air-tight engagement with the wall of the cylinder.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my stomach pump.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the lower end of the cylinder, itsclosure plate and its support.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the mouth of thesecretion retaining vessel and the tubes entering the same.

Figure 4 is a sectional View through the valve (Cl. 12S-276) whichcontrols communication between the cylinder and the secretion retainingVessel.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the cylinder andthrough the piston therein.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure Figure 7 is a top Viewof the bottom plateof the piston, the cross bar and the screws beingshown in section.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, I0 designates a cylinder, preferablyof glass having an amber color. This cylinder is entirely open at itsupper end. At its lower end, the cylinder is closed by a dished plate IIhaving upwardly extending anges I2. Between these flanges I2 and thecylinder wall there is disposed packing I3 so as `to make an air andwater-tight joint between the cylinder and the plate II. The plate IIhas at its middle a nipple I4, and extending from this nipple is a tubeI5, preferably of rubber.

While I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction shown,the cylinder is illustrated as being supported by two semi-circularcurved straps or irons I6, which are welded, brazed or otherwiseattached to the rim ofthe plate II, these straps intersecting each otherat the middle of each strap and the intersecting portions of the strapsbeing held to the base plate I'I by means of a bolt I8. The base plateI1 is v provided with legs I9 having castor wheels 20 to permit themechanism to be readily rolled from place to place and put in properposition.

Extending upward from the base I1 is a rod 2| which is parallel to thecylinder and which supports the cylinder by arms 22 which extend frombands 23 encircling the cylinder. The lower arm 22 may be connecteddirectly to the upwardly turned flange I2 of the member II. Mounted uponthe upper end of the rod 2l is a transverse arm 24 having pulleys 25,one of these pulleys being disposed immediately over the axial center ofthe cylinder. Extending over these pulleys is a cable 26 preferablymetallic, this cable at its outer end supporting a Weight 2Ial and atits other end extending into the cylinder I0 and being connected to apiston therein, as will be later described in detail. y

Mounted upon the rod 2| is a limiting stop 21, whose function will belater described, and this limiting stop may be, if desired, adjustableupon the rod 2|, or may be fixed at one definite position upon this rod2l. Operating within the cylinder is a piston shown in detail in Figure5. The piston .consists of two circular disks of metal |maybecome-werner need replacement.

designated 28 and 29, vertically spaced from each other. Disposedbetweenthese disks is a transverse bar 30 also of metal, and having anydesired Weight, this bar at its ends being extended upwardly, as at 3|.The disk 28 is held to this bar by screws 32, extending into theseupwardly extending portions 3l, while the metal disk 29 is held to thebar by the screws or pins 33. I do not wish to be limited to anyparticular means for holding these metallic disks 28 and 29 to themetalllc cross bar 3D, though I have shown screws for this purpose which-permit the ready removal or detachment of these parts.

Extending around the periphery of the piston is a packing band 34preferably of rubber, leather or equivalent material, the margins ofthis band being turned inward over the upper face of the disk 28 and thelower face `of the disk 29. These inwardly turned margins are clampedupon the body of the piston by means of the disks or plates 35 and 36,which are held to the disks 28 and 29 'bythe screws31. Disposedimmediately within the band `34 and extending aroundlthe ends of4thecross bar 30 is a coiled expansion spring 38.

Theupper coil `of this spring is connected to a spindle or piston rod3S, the upper extremity of "the spring being illustrated as beingangularly bent, as at 40, `and inserted through this rod 39. The springis coiled any desired plurality of times around the piston and at itslower portion, the last coil of the series, as shown in Figure 1, isheld 'flat against the upper face of the disk 29. This `lower coil, tothis end,is formed with a plurality of loops, or eyes 4I, through whichscrews 42 pass in order to hold this lowest coil securely to the disk29.

`In Figure, the bar or weight 30. is shown as 1formed on its lower facewith a recess 43 and above this recess withasmaller recess 44, the wallsof this recess 44 being parallel to each other. The rod or spindle 39 isvertically shiftable through the bar 30 and at its lower end carriesamany-sided head 45. When the spindle or rod f39is drawn upward withreference to the piston, this head '45 is disposed within the recess 44and fno relative rotation can be had between the rod `39 and the piston,but when the rod 39 is forced downward into the enlarged recess 43, thecross barl 39 and the body of the piston may rotate with reference tothis rod 39. Extending upward from the piston is a rod 41 whichacts as ahandle or crank whereby the body of the piston may be rotated withrelation to the spindle or rod 39 when-it is desired to wind up orcontract the spring 38, as before stated. By this means, it is possible,when'the rod 39 is lowered, to give a relative rotation to the pistonand the rod in reverseA directions to contract or wind up the spring 38to thus reduce its diameter and the consequent exterior diameter of thepiston, thus permitting the piston to be readily inserted within thecylinder. lifting the rod locks the spring ucontracted and then, whenthe piston is inserted,

-matter' to remove' an old packing 34 and Yreplace 'it withnew packingor torenewany parts that Furthermore, this construction permits thepiston, after it has 'been drawn upward within the cyl- -inderVIlL1 tobe contracted and theneasilyllowered into! the lower end of the cylinderwithout material effort whereas if the piston is not contractible, itwould require considerable effort to push the piston downward into thelower end of the cylinder.

'I'he disks 28 and 29 are held apart not only by the cross-piece or bar30, but by vertically disposed spacing members 46 shown in section inFigures 6 and 7. It will be noted that the upper end of the rod 39carries an eye 50 to which the cable 26 is attached. This eye may beheld in place by a set screw or in any other suitable manner, or thecable may be swiveled into the upper end of the rod 39. The stop 21 actsby engagement with the eye 59, to prevent the entire `removal of thepiston from the cylinder under ordinary circumstances, but obviously thearm 21 may be readily shifted out of position, as for instance, raisedso as to permit the entire removal of the piston from the cylinder.

The pipe I5, as before stated, is preferably of rubber and, though notnecessarily so, extends into a valve casing 5| having therein arotatable valve 52 provided with a handle 53. The valve has adiametrical bore 54 which, in one position Vof the valve, is adapted toregister with the extremity of the pipe l5 and with the extremity .of apipe `55, preferably of rubber which leads into the receptacle 56. Thevalve casing 5| is also formed with a vent 51 and a vent opening 58extends transversely through the valve at right angles to the bore 54and thus the valve may be turned to connect the bore with the vent 51 orto cut 01T this vent and connect the two pipes l5 and'55 directly witheach other. The flexible pipe 55, as shown in Figure 3, is connected atits end to a glass tube 59 extending down through a stopperll in theneck ofthe vessel 56. Through "the operation of evacuating the stomachis started, the piston is at the lower end of the cylinder, it b eingeither pushed down into this lower endas, for instance,by means of a rodinserted through the upper end of the cylinder or descending intothellower endby gravity due to thefact that all of the parts of thepiston are of metal. With the valve turned to the position shown inFigure 4 and the tube 62 inserted in the patients stomach, the weight26a is allowed -tovery slowly draw the piston upward. As the pistonmoves upward, it will, of course, draw air and gases-from the patientsstomach and the fluid contents of the stomach are discharged into thesecretion retaining vessel 56 and retained therein. The cylinder Ill isof any desired length but willfbe of such length that it will take arelatively long period of time for the piston to -move from the lowerend of the cylinder to the upper Vunder-the action of the weight. Theweights may be readily changed so as to secure ,any desired rapidity ofaction. It is obvious also that the cylinder may be graduated, ifdesired, sol. as to secure just the evacuation needed. When the Weighthas reached the upper end of the cylinder, if a further evacuation ofthe stomach Ais desired, the valve is turned so as to aline the ventopening 58 with the mouth of the pipe I5 and aline the bore 54 with thevent opening 51. This willpermit the escape of air from the lower end ofthe cylinder and the piston will be carried vdown either by gravity or,as before remarked,

by being forced down whereupornafter the valve has been turned to theposition shown in Figure 4, the operation may be readily repeated. Aftera full evacuation has been secured, the valve 5I may be turned to aposition where the vent 58 is in alinement with the vent 51 and thepipes 55 and 62 disconnected from the bottle 56 so as to permit anexamination of the contents of the bottle 5B and, of course, under thesecircumstances, the air will readily escape from the lower end of thecylinder and the piston will descend to its lowered position. Of course,when it is desired to have the piston descend, the weight 26a may beremoved from the cable 26.

It will be seen that I have provided a mechanism for pumping out thestomach of a patient, which does not require the constant attentionnecessary where the Weigenstein method and apparatus is used, which doesnot require that the water shall be withdrawn from an upper jug into alower jug and then the upper jug re-moved, the stopper removed and thewater poured from the lower jug into the upper jug and the upper jugagain be inverted, etc. or the replacement of one jug by another withthe necessary replacement of the suction hose and other parts.

The device is very compact, maybe easily transported from place to placebecause of the castor wheels, may be readily cleaned and is ready forinstant use. The container 56 will normally be a glass jar or bottleholding approximately la gallon.

While I have illustrated certain details of construction and arrangementof parts, I wish it distinctly understood that many changes might bemade in the minor details without departing from the spirit of theinvention as dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. A stomach pump including a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder andmovable through the length of the cylinder, a weight operatively,connected to the piston to draw the piston outward in the cylinder, anair inlet pipe leading into the inner end of the cylinder inward of thepiston, a secretion receptacle into which the inlet pipe extends, and aninlet pipe extending into the receptacle and adapted to be inserted inthe stomach.

2. A stomach pump,.including a cylinder open at its upper end, a pistonin the cylinder, a support mounted above the cylinder and havingpulleys, a flexible connection from the piston extending over saidpulleys, a weight connected to the end of the flexible connectionwhereby to draw the piston outward in the cylinder, an air inlet pipeleading into the inner end of the cylinder inward of the piston, asecretion containing receptacle into which the inlet pipe extends, and apipe leading from the receptacle and discharging thereinto, said pipebeing adapted to be inserted in the stomach.

3. A stomach pump, including a wheel support, a glass cylinder mountedupon said wheel support and open at its upper end, a rod extendingupward from the support parallel to the cylinder and operativelysupporting the cylinder at a plurality oi points, said rod at its upperend having an arm extending in opposite directions from the rod andcarrying pulleys, a piston within the cylinder having a exibleconnection extending upward over said pulleys and downward exteriorly ofthe cylinder, a weight attached to said ilexible connection and urgingthe piston upward, an inlet tube connected to the lower end of thecylinder, a secretion container into the upper end of which the inlettube opens, and a stomach tube extending from the secretion container.

4. A stomach pump including a wheel support, a glass cylinder mountedupon said wheel support and open at its upper end, a rod extendingupward from the support parallel to the cylinder and operativelysupporting the cylinder at a plurality of points, said rod at its upperend having an arm extending in opposite directions from the rod andcarrying pulleys, a piston within the cylinder having a exibleconnection extending upward over said pulleys and downward exteriorly ofthe cylinder, a weight attached to said flexible connection and urgingthe piston upward, means carried by the rod for limiting the upwardmovement of the piston, an inlet tube connected to the lower end of thecylinder, a vent valve in said tube, a secretion container into theupper end of which the inlet tube opens, and a stomach tube extendingfrom the secretion container.

5. In a structure of the character described, a cylinder and a pistonoperating therein, the piston including an outer elastic covering and amulti-coiled spring disposed within the elastic covering, manuallyoperable means on the piston whereby the spring may be contractedtopermit the insertion of the piston into the cylinder, said means beingmovable to permit the release of the spring and its radial expansionagainst the elastic covering of the piston.

6. In a structure of the character described, a cylinder and a pistonoperable therein, the piston including upper and lower plates, acentrally disposed piston rod, an elastic peripheral covering for thepiston clamped upon the upper and lower plates, a multi-coiled springdisposed within the rubber covering and resiliently urged radiallyoutward against the rubber covering, the inner end of the spring beingattached to said piston rod, the `piston rod being rotatable relative tothe body of the piston to cause the contraction of the spring to permitthe insertion of the piston within the cylinder, the release of thepiston rod permitting the spring to expand to thereby force the iiexiblecovering against the wall of the cylinder. v

'7. In a structure of the character described, a cylinder and a pistonoperating therein, the piston including upper and lower plates spacedfrom but connected to each other, a cross bar connected to both of saidplates, a piston rod extending through the upper plate and through thecross bar and having a many-sided head at its lower end, the underfaceof the cross bar being formed with a recess larger than the head topermit the head and piston rod to rotate and with a continuation of thefirst named recess having a width equal to that of the head whereby whenthe piston rod is depressed, the piston may be rotated relative to therod and when the piston rod is raised, the piston and piston rod will beheld for unitary rotary movement, a multi-coiled spring attached at oneend to the piston rod and at its other end attached to the lower plate,a covering of ilexible material extending around the peripheries of saidplates and having margins extending inward over the upper and lowersurfaces of the upper and lower plates respectively and clamping platesdetachably engaged with the upper and lower plates and engaging theinturned margin of the covering whereby the piston rod may be rotatedrelative to the body of the piston to contract said spring and thespring held in its contracted position while the piston is beinginserted in the cylinder and whereby m the spring may then be releasedto permit its ex- .Pan-ipe .to 'force .the lexible .Covering ,againstthe wall of the cylinder.

,8. A stomach pump of the character described, including a carriagehaving castor wheels, a cylinder extending vertically upward from thecarriage, a` bottom member for the cylinder removable therefrom anddetachably supported upon the carriage, a rod extending upward from thecarriage to a point above the cylinder and having means for clamping thecylinder in position, a radial arm carried by the upper end of the rodand having pulleys at its opposite ends, a piston disposed within thecylinder and having a piston rod, a flexible connection leading fromthepiston :l rod over said pulleys, a weight attached to the outer endof the flexible connection and urging the piston upward, a stop carriedby the rod and limiting the upward movement of the piston, a tubeextending from the bottom member of the cylinder, a secretion receivingreceptacle having a stopper and through which the tube extends, thesecond` tube leading from the secretion receptacle through the stopperthereof and adapted to be inserted in the stomach.

9. A stomach pump, including a cylinder, a piston in the cylindermovable through the length of the cylinder, a weight operativelyconnected to the piston to draw the piston outward in the cylinder, anair inlet pipe leading into the inner end of thecylinderinward of thepiston, a secretion receptacle, a conduit aiording communication betweenthe secretion receptacle and the inner end of the cylinder, and a draintube extending into the receptacle.

10. A stomach pump, including a cylinder open at one end, a. piston inthe cylinder movable through the length thereof, a weight operativelyconnected to the piston to draw the piston outward in the cylinder, anair inlet conduit leading into the inner end of the cylinder inward ofthe piston, a secretion receptacle into which the inlet conduit extends,and an inlet pipe extending into the receptacle and adapted to beinserted into the stomach, the piston being manually expansible andcontractible to thereby permit the piston to readily move into the innerend of the cylinder when the piston is contracted.

1l. A draining device for internal organs, comprising an outer cylinder,an inner cylinder slidable in the outer cylinder, a Weight for raisingthe inner cylinder to effect a sub-atmospheric pressure Within thecylinders, a vessel, a drain tube extending into the vessel, a conduitto afford communication between the cylinders and the vessel, and valvesfor selectively opening and closing the conduit and the tube.

WILLIAM L. WILLIAMS.

